This “Old Pal” comes from the 1922 edition of “Harry’s ABC of Cocktails”. As far as I can tell, it appears to be one of the earliest recipes in print, at least in English, calling for Campari.

It doesn’t quite make sense to me, however, with the French Vermouth and Rye. Really you just end up with very little balancing out the flavors of the Campari and Rye Whiskey.

By McElhone’s 1927 “Barflies and Cocktails“, the “Old Pal” had disappeared in favor of the Boulevardier*, aka the Bourbon Negroni. A much more sensible beverage, if you ask me.

*If you can’t find the Boulevardier initially, it’s no wonder. Check the “Cocktails Round Town” section at the back of the book. “Now is the time for all good Barflies to come to the aid of the party, since Erskinne Gwynne crashed in with his Boulevardier Cocktail: 1/3 Campari, 1/3 Italian Vermouth, 1/3 Bourbon Whisky.”

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.